


Standing at the Edge of a Knife

by lainathiel



Category: Divergent (Movies), Divergent Series - Veronica Roth, The 100 (TV), The 100 Series - Kass Morgan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Divergent Fusion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-09
Updated: 2015-12-09
Packaged: 2018-05-05 18:29:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5386001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lainathiel/pseuds/lainathiel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The ''delinquents'' choose their factions.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Standing at the Edge of a Knife

Raven Reyes always thought the faction system was pretty stupid. Not out loud though; she wasn't stupid herself. But ever since she was around twelve - when she first realized she was just too damn awesome to have to be forced to do only one thing for the rest of her life - she'd considered the whole system pretty dumb.

Even so, there was no doubt in her mind that she belonged in Erudite. She _wanted_ to go be Erudite. It wasn't just because Erudites wanted _her_ , though it was flattering that they'd tried to scout her so many times. It wasn't even just because they'd offered her this amazing Mech course she could have only dreamed of back in Abnegation. It was because she was smart to the point of brilliance, and she knew what she had to offer.

So, unlike for some, this would be an easy choice for her. The only thing that could make her change her mind would be Finn, and she was sure Finn would choose Erudite too. 

He wouldn't choose it because he was particularly science-oriented and intelligent in that sense. Logic wasn't his strongest suit either - he could be impulsive and reckless sometimes beyond what his original faction allowed him. He was so kind and so bent on always being the peacemaker, Raven was sure he belonged in Amity. But he would choose Erudite nevertheless, because Raven would choose it to. 

She never asked him to, nor would she ever ask him to. They never really talked about it either. She just kind of expected it. 

Expected, or hoped. She wasn't quite sure.

*

''You can't ask a girl out, but you want to be Dauntless,'' Monty stated more than asked. His best friend was being an idiot, which could be said was unfortunately quite usual.

''I can ask a girl out, Monty,'' Jasper scoffed and adjusted the goggles on his forehead, ''I can't ask _the_ girl out. That's different.''

''Yeah, well, still not Dauntless,'' Monty shrugged, focused on inspecting a patch of crops. There was something eating away at them in the west side of the field, and it could threaten the entire farm if he didn't figure it out soon, ''Now, you wanna help or not?''

''What do you know anyway,'' Jasper grumbled, getting to inspecting the small leaves himself, ''If you wanna be stuck on a farm for the rest of your life, suit yourself. You just don't want me to leave you.''

Monty didn't want to be stuck on a farm for the rest of his life, as a matter of fact. If he picked Amity, it would be only so he could stay with his family and not because he wanted to. What he wanted to was probably Erudite. He knew he could get around pretty well over there, and it was definitely much more interesting than Amity. Out of the five factions, it just seemed like the logical choice for him.

In Monty's opinion, Jasper belonged in Erudite himself. His best friend may have been an ass, but he was a smart ass, with a natural talent for science and many other areas. Unfortunately, Jasper always wanted to be one of the cool kids, and Dauntless were always all the cool kids. Monty didn't really think Jasper would _actually_ choose Dauntless - he just liked to say he would. The mere thought of Jasper actually choosing it worried him; his friend wouldn't last a day in that lion den.

Jasper seemed to feel bad about that last sentence he'd said, because his voice had taken on a different tone now.

''You should pick Dauntless too. We could go together,'' he said suggestively, meekly, ''We could actually have some fun for a change. We could be cool,'' he smiled.

''I think you're cool.''

''Yeah, well, not like _that_.''

''Yeah, exactly like that,'' Monty stopped to look at him, ''It's just that you don't have to jump out of a moving train for me to see it.''

*

Clarke Griffin was sick of Candor. It was being Candor that had killed her father. The honesty he always held more valuable than anything, his conviction that the people always deserved to know the truth - that's what had killed him. And there was a time when she was willing to follow that same path. To die with her father if need be. But not anymore. She didn't want anything to do with secrets and truths and lies and schemes and her mom's government connections. She was done done done with it all.

Thinking about her father was still painful. He was the best man she'd ever known, not a mean bone in his body. And it's exactly what had cost him his life. His wish to do right. His honesty. Candor.

Or maybe it was Wells Jaha that had killed Jake Griffin. She might as well have said it like that; but it still comes down to Candor, doesn't it? Wells was the perfect Candor poster boy. He'd gone running to tell the truth before she could have turned her back on him.

All the more reason to leave Candor. She hardly cared where she'd end up, as long as it was a clean slate. Far from Wells, far from schemes of honesty and dishonesty, far from memories that still haunted her. Far, far away. 

She didn't think about her choice much either; she guessed her test would just give her the best option. She didn't think she'd score Candor on the test, so she was safe there - she never felt like she belonged in Candor much. Most probably, she would be an Erudite. Even her mother seemed to think so, the way she was emotionally preparing herself for the separation. She knew Clarke was leaving, and she knew where off to. There was no need to really talk about it much. 

On the day of the test, it felt like she was leaving, although she wouldn't for some days yet. Abby had hugged her so tight and teared up and told her she was proud of her. Clarke wanted to be unmoved by it, but she couldn't help tearing up herself. As much as she wanted to leave, leaving was as scary a prospect as staying.

*

There was nothing Octavia had been looking forward to more than she'd been looking forward to the day of the Choosing. She didn't even care about the test or what her results would be, her mind was set and she knew where she was going. She'd known all her life. She'd waited all her life. 

She'd been dreaming for so long of finally being able to take off those nasty gray rags they called clothes and to let her hair down and maybe style it the way she wanted to. To be able to look in the mirror for as long as she wanted to. To maybe shout at someone sometimes or just run and laugh and enjoy herself and maybe even eat the food she was so curious about or kiss boys. Kissing boys seemed like an interesting prospect. All in all, she just wanted to be herself - to be allowed to be herself. All of which was considered self-indulgence, and completely inconceivable in Abnegation.

Well, she couldn't have chosen the faction she was born into, but she could choose now. Soon. One more day. 

It seemed ages once, and then it had turned into a couple of years, then it had slimmed down to a year and once she realized only a few months were what stood between her and her freedom, she could hardly believe it. And then it was days and she couldn't believe how fast time had passed when once it had seemed to drag on for centuries. And now it's a day.

Just one more day.

*

Raven fiddled with the raven pendant that hung around her neck, trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach. She wasn't nervous in a bad way; she was just kind of excited. Watching all these teenagers being called out and picking their factions knowing her name could be called next almost had her on tiptoes. It was different for everyone else - everyone else had a family and could more or less tell when their names would be called out, after a family member or two. But she had no one. Her name would come like thunder out of clear skies.

When Chancellor Jaha called out ''Finn Collins!'' her heart had jumped into her throat. She watched all the family she had ever had walk down that aisle, take the knife, and cut. Then he paused.

It wasn't like they'd talked about it, but she never thought they needed to. He knew her well. He knew her and had to have known what she would pick. And he loved her. He loved her and he knew he was the only family she'd ever had and he would never leave her. 

He outstretched his arm, and his hand hovered over Erudite. A breath caught in Raven's throat. Then, after an eternity long moment, Finn's hand moved and hovered over Amity. Raven was breathing, but it felt like she was holding her breath.

And then finally, like she was dreaming, Raven saw Finn move his hand over Dauntless and let the drop of his blood fall onto the coals. She could have sworn she'd heard them hiss, but that was impossible. 

It was only a short moment, before the entire Dauntless faction erupted in cheers, and welcomed her boyfriend with open arms and congratulations. It was a party over there. Raven was still breathing, but it still felt like she wasn't.

_He left me._

But that was impossible. _He wouldn't. He wouldn't leave me, I know Finn and he wouldn't leave me._

_Not unless he thought I'd follow._

*

It was time for Jasper Jordan to choose. Talking about picking Dauntless had been easy enough - he didn't actually have to take that leap of faith, he just had to talk. Talking was easy; talking was something he was good at. Being dauntless? Not so much.

It was almost funny now how right Monty had been. Jasper wasn't brave. What was he thinking? All he had ever wanted was to be cool. To be able to run fast and grow fit and strong and to be brave enough to jump buildings and ask girls out without feeling like a wimp. 

But those were wishes, and not very realistic ones. He had to be realistic, to pick the faction that suited him best, not the one that harbored his fantasies. The test had given him clear enough results, and his hand was already almost over Erudite - all he had to do now was let the drop of blood fall. His hand was there, but his heart and his eyes elsewhere.

The anxiety was eating away at him, he wanted to make the right choice, but what was the right choice? What he knew he'd be alright at, or what he dreamed of being?

Suddenly, he knew where to find his answer. He turned around, right over his shoulder, and it didn't take longer than a moment for his eyes to find his best friend in the crowd. Monty was looking back, right at him, and Jasper could have sworn he'd mouthed a '' _You got this_ '', with a nod.

And then he knew.

Jasper moved his hand over to Dauntless, and let the drop fall.

*

''You nervous?'' Wells asked her, seemingly excited.

''Not at all,'' Clarke replied, disinterested, ''More like irritated by you choosing that particular seat out of all the seats in this room.''

''You will do well in Erudite,'' Wells said, like Clarke hadn't just taken a jab at him, ''There's no doubt. You were always brilliant.''

Clarke was so angry now, she could have punched Wells in the face. The fact that he thought he knew what she would pick had her beyond furious for some reason, and she was even more furious because he _did_ know - he was right. She was going to choose Erudite.

But not anymore. Maybe she was stupid, maybe she was reckless, maybe she was making the worst decision of her life. But just because Wells Jaha had expected of her to choose Erudite, she wouldn't. She didn't.

Without even a second's thinking, she let a drop of her blood fall onto the coals. She'd chosen Dauntless like she'd meant to all along. Like it was the easiest thing in the world.

And it was almost worth it, just for the look on everyone's faces over at Candor, even her mom. She was willing to jump out of a million moving trains just for the lingering memory of Wells Jaha's shocked face as she confidently strode over to the cheering arms of the Dauntless.

*

Bellamy watched his sister walk down to the podium with a smile on his face and a knot twisting in his stomach. She was so beautiful, despite her plain clothes and hair tied in a knot. She'd grown so big too, so tall. How much had he missed? Nevermind, she was here now. He knew she'd follow him, to the edge of the world if need be.

He could hardly believe the day was here, that this was actually happening. It had seemed like it would be ages until he'd see her again. And now she was choosing a faction of her own, when just yesterday she seemed to be a baby in his arms. ''I won't let anything bad happen to you,'' he'd told her when she was born. Now he could continue keeping that promise. Now, he could finally protect her again.

The moment the drop of her blood hit the coals, her hand had gone to her hair, untying it and letting it fall down her back. She ripped the apron part of her skirt off like it was the easiest thing in the world, and when she turned to the audience and lifted the fabric high up in the air like it was a flag of victory, she shouted - shouted like she'd been preparing it all her life, keeping it at the edge of her tongue.

_''BYE, BITCHES!!''_

Abnegation probably didn't deserve it, but Bellamy didn't care, and neither did Octavia - she'd deserved to blow the steam off, and he was so so proud of her and so happy he thought his heart would burst from all the love. When the whole place seemed to erupt into cheers - because how could have those amazing roars come from Dauntless alone? - Octavia ran, and it hardly seemed real.

He held her, his arms firmly around her, her face in the crook of his neck, under his protection. And it hardly seemed real.

''We meet again, big brother,'' she almost giggled, barely audible still in his grasp.

''Nothing's gonna keep us apart now,'' he said, ''I'm not letting you out of my sight. My sister, my responsibility.''


End file.
